LAHORE: A prime minister enjoying the support of 156 members of the National Assembly was sent packing and the one with the backing of only 56 has been imposed on Pakistan, regretted Asad Umar, secretary general of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).
Addressing a press conference at the party secretariat on Friday, the former minister said “rumour has it that the provincial elections may be delayed beyond 90 days; should that happen, it will be a violation of the Constitution and fall under Article 6”.
Flanked by former finance minister Shaukat Tarin and PTI spokesperson on economy Muzzammil Aslam, Mr Umar said the government was not in a position to resist any demand from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which meant the highest-ever inflation and price hike, creating social chaos.
“In the last two days alone, the national debt has increased by Rs4.5 trillion and will squeeze the life out of the national economy. In the last nine months, the current government has given nothing to the people of Pakistan, but social and economic chaos.”
Mr Tarin said rupee had dipped by Rs34 against the dollar in the last two days only, adding Rs4tr to the national debt. “The person, who claimed to restrict dollar under Rs200, is nowhere to be seen. Country’s reserves are down to $4 billion, spelling disaster for the economy and the common man. The IMF is not ready to come to Pakistan for a review. Budget deficit has gone up to a staggering Rs3tr that will force petroleum prices to shoot up and even higher inflation. If the government does not bow to the IMF demands, even friendly countries won’t help. Right now, Pakistan is running Rs800bn short of its target, which can only come through additional taxes, inflation and misery to the common man. Resultantly, the sensitive price index may go up by 30 to 35 per cent in the common days, making peoples’ lives impossible,” he warned.
Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2023
